On Thursday, December 1st, five scaling companies across a diverse cross-section of regional sectors had the opportunity to make their pitch in front of a group of seasoned investors, industry experts, and celebrity judge, Vivian Kaye. The scaleups are part of the sixth cohort to graduate from the award-winning ScaleUP Accelerator program, launched by WEtech Alliance and generously powered in 2022 by Libro Credit Union and Invest WindsorEssex.

“This program continues to be a shining example of the diverse companies creating a new face for our local economy.” said Stephen MacKenzie, President and CEO at Invest WindsorEssex. “This year is no exception, with participants in Automobility, Healthtech, Fintech, and Greentech, Windsor-Essex continues to be a region of makers and growers. What we make and how we grow is evolving, and companies like the ones in this year’s ScaleUP cohort are leading the charge.”

The theme of this year’s program centered around adapting to uncertainty, and building flexibility into business planning. Participants learned from renowned experts and mentors on how to apply positive psychology, financial modeling, and global economic outlooks to their individual business circumstances, in order to fuel their decision making process.

“At Libro, we know that every business is human-powered,” said Lori Atkinson, Regional Manager (Windsor-Essex) at Libro Credit Union. “That is why we love that the goal of this program isn’t just about more sales, or more revenue. The focus of ScaleUP is providing the people behind these businesses with the support they need to become more confident in their decision making, and to view every challenge as an opportunity to be uncovered.”

The four-month accelerator program provides one-on-one mentoring, cohort sessions, and access to provincial, national and global networks of programs and mentors valued at over $78,000 per participant. Highlights of this year’s program included Psychological Resiliency Coaching with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Andrea Dinardo, sales training with “The Story Architect” and Former Dell executive, Kevin Smith, and meetings with local investors through the Windsor Essex Capital Angel Network (WECAN).

While the program content evolves annually based on the needs of the cohort, tools were designed to help the participants imagine what’s next for their businesses and prepare them for the challenges they may face in the future.

“The key is to strike a balance between encouraging activity that builds momentum in the here and now, while also delivering resources and skills upgrades that will help in the future,” said Adam Castle, Director of Venture Services at WEtech Alliance. “Four months goes by in the blink of an eye and, even though the program is designed to be fast-paced, we want to help contribute to the longevity and sustainable growth of these businesses far beyond their graduation from ScaleUP.”

Following a virtual “Dragons’ Den” style pitch that measured the cohort company’s growth over the course of the program, Climate Neutral came out as the winner.

“This course has meant a lot to me,” says Climate Neutral founder Kyle Bassett. “This win isn’t just a win for Climate Neutral, this is a win for the environment and all municipalities who need it.”

To date, ScaleUP has seen 30 graduates, over 22 million dollars in revenue earned, and 168 jobs created.

Applications for the seventh cohort will open in summer 2023. To learn more about the ScaleUP Tech Accelerator program visit www.wetech-alliance.com/scaleup.

The graduating class of ScaleUP Cohort 6 includes the following five companies: